2022/03/18 – Even though it might have seemed like there would be a decrease in the revenue online gambling companies in Italy make, it has proved to be very incorrect. Online gambling is still very popular among Italian punters.
The numbers are there to prove it – the country has had high levels of revenue from this sector, even though there was a slight drop in January.
Italy is one of the leading countries in Europe when it comes to iGaming, and it has seen several months of record-breaking activity in the past year. These great numbers have occurred even though the country faced some problems with the black market in recent times.
Despite the emergence of unregulated operators, the legal aspect of the online gambling world remains very strong. The data from corporate advisory firm Ficom Leisure proves it – there has been €358.8 million achieved just in January, which is simply stunning.
The GGR of online casinos in Italy is a big contributor to the online gambling revenues in the country. The revenue from this segment closed at €188.8 million for January, so it is an increase of 5% from last year.
It is also more than the €182.76 million generated in December, which was the record up to that point, and it is twice more than what Italy made in January 2020. These numbers are a very good indicator that online casinos and iGaming, in general, are vital in the Italian gaming industry.
PokerStars continue to lead the space in Italy’s iGaming market, as they cover around 10% of the market. Snai, who is owned by Playtech is just behind with 8.79%, with Sisal following covering 7.93%.
What is more, Flutter Entertainment has agreed to buy Sisal, so there is huge potential for the company to increase its market share.
Italians are not Into Poker as Before
Poker is among the most played games in online casinos worldwide, and of course, it is highly popular in Italy as well. The revenue in the country generated by poker was €12.6 million, all made through tournaments and cash games.
This is an increase from December’s numbers, but it is lower than the amount a year ago. Poker seems to have lost its shine in Italy a bit, but still, the numbers are very impressive.
Once again, PokerStars rues the online poker scene in the country, as it controls over half of the tournaments and around 42% of the cash games.
The revenue generated from online bingo increased as well, as it was worth €6.7 million in January, with predictions saying it could be worth much more. Land-based bingo halls might close soon, so it may prove to be a catalyst for the online segment to shine.
What About Sports Betting?
Sports betting is very attractive in Italy, but it showed mixed results recently. January’s GGR for sports betting was €233 million (both retail and online are covered here).
This is way more from December’s numbers, but it is 46.9% less than January of last year.
Online sports betting is more popular than retail in Italy, as the GGR from it was €142.3 million just in January. It is a good number, but still, it is lower than the €158.6 million from last year.
Snai is the leader in sports betting in Italy, as the company covers around 13% of the online market, while Sisal is a close second. Bet365, PlanetWin365 and Eurobet follow with around 10% of the market.
The Future is Bright for iGaming
H2 Gambling Capital and European Gaming and Betting Association said that iGaming GGR will increase even more in 2022, with some estimates saying it will be around 19%, so more growth is coming.
Italy is one of the few European countries that present an extensive opportunity for iGaming, so the whole industry in the country seems to be going in the right direction.
